1000 Friends of Florida Senate President Tom Lee, R-Brandon, has appointed 1000 Friends of Florida Executive Director Charles Pattison to a four-year term on the Century Commission for a Sustainable Florida. This fifteen-m! ember commission, established during Florida`s 2005 Legislative Session, is charged with recommending ways to deal with Florida`s growth over 25- and 50-year periods. "I have a deep respect for Senator Lee and his understanding of the many growth management issues facing this state," said Pattison. "I am very honored to be selected to serve on the commission, which will address one of Florida`s most pressing challenges." Pattison explains that his input will be based, in part, on 1000 Friends` 2004 white paper, Growth Management for Florida`s Future, available at www.1000friendsofflorida.org under "Growth Management Process Revision." If individuals or organizations have ideas they would like the commission to consider, please send that information to Charles Pattison at friends@1000fof.org. Once the commission begins meeting in November 2005, 1000 Friends will post in! formation on its website, and include a link to the commission`s web site. In addition to Pattison, Senator Lee also appointed the National Audubon Society`s director of advocacy, Charles Lee, progressive Tampa developer Don Whyte, Sarasota County school board member Laura Benson, and Senator Mike Bennett, R-Bradenton, who sponsored the 2005 growth management legislation that called for the creation of the Century Commission. Governor Jeb Bush selected Mayor Rick Baker of the City of St. Petersburg to chair the commission. His other appointments include Palm Beach County Commissioner Mary McCarty who has been a staunch advocate of locating Scripps at the Mecca Farms site, Highlands County Commissioner Robert Bullard, ex-chief of staff Kathleen Shanahan who leads a Tampa engineering firm, and Tallahassee lobbyist Steve Uhlfelder. House Speaker Allan Bense, R-Panama City, rounded out the appointments with Chris Corr, an executive with the St. Joe Company,! developers Julio Robaina of Hialeah and Dennis Gilkey of Bonita Springs, Brooksville real estate agent Gary Schraut, and John LaCapra, president of the Florida Ports Council. Unlike most blue ribbon commissions, the Century Commission is intended to function as a standing body "to help citizens of this state envision and plan their collective future with an eye towards both 25-year and 50-year horizons." Beginning January 16, 2007, the commission is to submit annual reports to the Governor and Legislature. In addition, the President of the Senate and Speaker of the House of Representatives are directed to create a joint select committee in 2007 to review the Commission`s findings. |
